Waste Pro now picking up oil, electronics

Saving time and money - some
Southwest Florida residents will be spared trips to the recycling center in Charlotte County.

Punta Gorda signed a contract with Waste Pro that will do curbside pick-up on
items that homeowners regularly have to get rid of on their own – things like tires,
oil and electronics.

For years, Waste Management has been the recycling service for Punta Gorda
residents. But on October 1, those green recycling containers will change to
blue.

"It was the price, they
were lower than the other bidders," explained Kathy Mahar, Punta Gorda Solid
Waste Supervisor.

The city put the service
out to bid, and decided on a three year contract with Waste Pro that will save
75,000 a year.

While there is no cost to homeowners, they will notice a few changes.

Instead of driving
several miles to Murdock to drop off old TVs and computers, Punta Gorda
residents will only have to take a few steps to have their electronics picked
up.

"A lot of people don't
want to make the drive to the county location and if they don't do that then
lots of them will hide it in their trash can, so this will help keep I think a
good amount of the electronics out of the landfill for us," Mahar said.

Once a week, Waste Pro
will pick up old electronics and tires left next to the recycle bin. Also, oil
can be left next to the bin in a clear-one gallon container.

"We found out there's a
lot of boat owners up there, including the mayor, that have oil when they do
their motor oil changes on their boats and they have no where to dispose of it.
So now they can put it at the curb and we can collect it there for the," said
Keith Banasiak, Regional Vice President of Waste Pro.

Right now, Waste Pro is
working with the city to send out information and the bins to residents in the
next few weeks.

But Banasiak says he the Waste Pro trucks could be making more frequent trips
up north.

"The next largest
operation we have between Fort Myers is our Sarasota operation, Bradenton,
and we'd like to close the gap between that area," he said.